# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 1 box vanilla or chocolate cake mix (approximately 15 oz), plus eggs, oil, and water as specified on package
02 - or 1 fully cooled homemade 9-inch cake
→ Frosting
03 - 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting
→ Coating and Decoration
04 - 12 oz candy melts in custom school colors, or white chocolate and colored food coloring
05 - 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (optional, for thinning coating)
06 - Sprinkles, edible glitter, or colored sugar in matching school colors
07 - 24 lollipop sticks
08 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
09 - Fondant in school colors (optional, for cap decorations)
# How to Make It:
01 - Prepare cake using mix or homemade recipe, following package instructions. Allow to cool completely before proceeding.
02 - Break cooled cake into fine crumbs in a mixing bowl.
03 - Gradually incorporate frosting with a spatula or hands until mixture holds together. Use only the amount necessary for binding.
04 - Portion mixture into tablespoon-sized scoops and roll each into a ball to yield 24 uniform spheres.
05 - Arrange balls on a lined baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes to firm.
06 - Heat candy melts or chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Thin with vegetable shortening if required.
07 - Dip stick tip in melted coating, then embed halfway into each cake ball.
08 - Immerse each ball fully in melted coating. Tap gently to remove excess.
09 - While coating is wet, apply sprinkles, colored sugar, or edible glitter. For graduation caps, affix a fondant square on top and attach a mini chocolate chip as a tassel using melted chocolate.
10 - Position pops upright in a styrofoam block or cake pop stand. Allow coating to harden completely before serving.
